Method and system for encoding and decoding multiple wide-area surveillance area-of-interest video codestreams

ABSTRACT

A method of encoding and decoding a plurality of wide-area surveillance area-of-interest video codestreams is described. The method includes generating, by a computer server, a plurality of video codestreams, each video codestream comprising a plurality of areas-of-interest of a plurality of images. The method further includes multiplexing, by a multiplexer in communication with the computer server, the plurality of video codestreams into a multiplexed video codestream, transmitting the multiplexed video codestream from a first location to a second remote location; and demultiplexing the multiplexed video codestream at the second location to regenerate the plurality of video codestreams.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of U.S. patent application Ser. No.61/382,823, filed on Sep. 14, 2010, the entire contents of which isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention pertains to image data management and inparticular to a method and system for encoding and decoding multiplewide-area surveillance area-of-interest video codestreams.

2. Discussion of Related Art

A very large image generally contains a plurality of pixels, forexample, several hundreds of megapixels (Mp) or several thousands ofmegapixels. Each pixel has one, two or more bands. Each band has acertain color depth or bit depth. For example, an RGB color-based imagehas 3 bands, the red band (R), the green band (G) and the blue band (B).Each of the R, G and B bands can have a depth of 8 bits or more. Hence,in this example, each pixel can have a total bit depth of 24 bits ormore. In another example, an infra-red (IR) image has 1-band, theIR-band. This band can have a bit depth of 12-bits. For the purpose ofcomputational convenience, it can be stored within 16-bits. Hence, inthis example, each pixel can have a total bit depth of 16-bits.

An image sensor can be used to capture a series of images, each imagehaving several hundred megapixels. The images may be captured insequence, for example at a reasonably constant frequency (e.g., 2 Hz).Each image (i.e., each still image) in the sequence or series of imagesmay have one or more distinct bands and may cover any part of theelectromagnetic spectrum that can be captured by the image sensor. Theimage sensor may be a single sensor or a combination or a matrix ofmultiple sensors arranged to generate a single image.

The captured series of images are referred to interchangeably aswide-area surveillance imagery, wide-area motion imagery (WAMI) orwide-area persistent surveillance imagery.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An aspect of the present invention is to provide a method of encodingand decoding a plurality of WAMI area-of-interest (AOI) videocodestreams. The method includes generating, by a computer server, aplurality of video codestreams, each video codestream comprising aplurality of AOIs of a plurality of WAMI images. The method furtherincludes multiplexing, by a multiplexer in communication with thecomputer server, the plurality of video codestreams into a multiplexedvideo codestream, transmitting the multiplexed video codestream from afirst location to a second remote location; and demultiplexing themultiplexed video codestream at the second location to regenerate theplurality of video codestreams.

Although the various steps of the method are described in the aboveparagraphs as occurring in a certain order, the present application isnot bound by the order in which the various steps occur. In fact, inalternative embodiments, the various steps can be executed in an orderdifferent from the order described above or otherwise herein.

These and other objects, features, and characteristics of the presentinvention, as well as the methods of operation and functions of therelated elements of structure and the combination of parts and economiesof manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of thefollowing description and the appended claims with reference to theaccompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this specification,wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in thevarious figures. In one embodiment of the invention, the structuralcomponents illustrated herein are drawn to scale. It is to be expresslyunderstood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose ofillustration and description only and are not intended as a definitionof the limits of the invention. As used in the specification and in theclaims, the singular form of “a”, “an”, and “the” include pluralreferents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIG. 1 depicts schematically wide-area surveillance imagery, accordingto an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows schematically an example of an AOI within a very largeimage (W-pixels by H-pixels), according to an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a schematic representation of a large format image,according to another embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 shows an example of a single video codestream generated from asequence of areas-of-interest (AOIs) from one collection of very largeimages, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts schematically a plurality of codestreams, according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a time diagram of a process for providing a video codestream,according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method to multiplex multiple videocodestreams into a multiplexed codestream, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a process for generating and transmitting amultiplexed video codestream, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 depicts schematically wide-area surveillance imagery, accordingto an embodiment of the present invention. The wide-area surveillanceimagery comprises a plurality of very large images. Each very largeimage is W-pixels wide by H-pixels tall. In addition each very largeimage has N-bands (where N is an integer greater than 0) and each bandhas a bit-depth B (where B is an integer greater than 0). An example ofvery large images can be images having 10,000 pixel wide (W-pixels) by9,600 pixel tall (H-pixels), a total size of 96 Mp. Another example ofvery large images can be images having 12,000 pixel wide (W-pixels) by12,000 pixel tall (H-pixels), a total size of 144 Mp. Another example ofvery large images can even be images 40,000 pixel wide (W-pixels) and40,000 pixel tall (H-pixels), a total size of 1600 Mp.

The plurality of very large images are collected by one or more sensorsmultiple times per second (H Hz) over a period of time T. H and T aregreater than zero and are real numbers (H, T>0 and H, Tε

). A group of very large images is considered a collection of images.Such very large images cannot be practically transmitted or visualizedin their entirety using existing techniques on a display device. Presentcommercial display devices have a pixel width (D_(w)) and a pixel height(D_(H)) that are substantially smaller than the pixel width (W) of theimage and the pixel height (H) of the image, respectively (D_(w)<<W andD_(H)<<H). In addition, current commercial display devices can displayD_(N) bands at a bit-depth of D_(B). The number of bands (D_(N)) in thedisplay device can be the same or different from the number of bands (N)within the image. Similarly, the bit-depth (D_(B)) of each band in thedisplay device can also be the same or different from the bit-depth (B)of a band within the image.

In order to display a large format or size image on a smaller sizedisplay device, the size of the large format image should be reduced,for example, by zooming out of the large format image. However, thisinvolves reducing the number of pixels within the large format image andthus degrading the resolution of the image.

In order to display a large format image at complete pixel size (e.g.,substantially 100% pixel size), an area of interest (AOI) or a viewportmust be extracted from the large format image to be displayed on thedisplay device.

FIG. 2 shows schematically an example of an AOI within a very largeimage (W-pixels by H-pixels), according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. The size of the AOI is substantially the same as the size ofthe display device (D_(w)-pixels by D_(B)-pixels). If the number ofbands (N) within the large format image is different from the number ofbands (D_(N)) of the display device, a conventional method can beapplied to generate (D_(N)) bands from one or more of the (N) bands inthe large format image to display a portion (AOI) of the large formatimage on the display device. Similarly, if the bit-depth (B) within thelarge format image is different from the bit-depth (D_(B)) of thedisplay device, a conventional method can be applied to convert thebit-depth (B) into the bit-depth (D_(B)) of the display device so as todisplay the portion (AOI) of the large format image on the displaydevice.

FIGS. 3A and 3B show a schematic representation of a large format image,according to another embodiment of the present invention. In thisembodiment, the large format image comprises a set of smaller imageshaving a pixel width (S_(w)) and a pixel height (S_(H)). Each smallerimage is substantially smaller in pixel width and pixel height than thelarge format image (S_(w)>0, S_(H)>0, W>>S_(w), H>>S_(H)). The pixelwidth (S_(w)) and the pixel height (S_(H)) of each smaller image can bethe same, less or greater than, respectively, the pixel width of thedisplay (D_(w)) and the pixel height of the display (D_(H)). Eachsmaller image has the same number of bands and the same bit-depth as thelarge format image. Each smaller image is acquired at substantially thesame time as the other smaller images in the same set of smaller imagesof a large format image. Each smaller image can be combined with theother smaller images in the same set of smaller images to create orgenerate a mosaic of images within the large format image, as shown inFIG. 3A or as shown in FIG. 3B.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a single video codestream generated from asequence of AOIs from one collection of very large images, according toan embodiment of the present invention. In order to display or playbacka sequence of AOIs from multiple very large images in a collection(e.g., collection of large format images shown in FIG. 1), the sequenceof AOIs can be encoded into a single video codestream. Each AOI isselected from a corresponding very large image. For example, AOI₁ can beselected from large format image LFI₁, AOI₂ can be selected from largeformat image LFI₂, etc. By arranging AOI₁, AOI₂, etc., in sequence, avideo codestream V can be generated. Although AOI₁, AOI₂, etc. aredescribed being generated as video codestream V in the order the largeformat images LFI₁, LFI₂ are acquired, AOI₁, AOI₂, etc. can also bearranged arbitrarily in any desired order, for example AOI₂ then AOI₁,etc., to be displayed as video codestream V. For example, the videocodestream V can be generated from AOIs (e.g., AOI₁, AOI₂, etc.)extracted from images (LFI₁, LFI₂, etc.) starting at time T₁ and endingat time T₂, where time T₁ may or may not correspond to the time ofgenerating or acquiring LFI₁. Moreover, the video codestream V may ormay not contain AOIs from one or more of the large format images (LFIs).For example, the video codestream V can be generated from AOIs extractedfrom every other captured large format image in the collection of largeformat images. Therefore, the video codestream V is generated at a rateH_(v) Hz that can be equal or different from the rate H Hz of capturingor acquiring the collection of large format images (LFIs).

FIG. 5 depicts schematically a plurality of codestreams V₁, V₂, V₃, . .. , V_(N), according to an embodiment of the present invention. Thecodestreams V₁, V₂, V₃, . . . , V_(N) may have equal number of AOIs ordifferent number of AOIs. In one embodiment, each video codestream V₁,V₂, V₃, . . . V_(N) can be generated from a plurality or sequences ofAOIs within the plurality of very large images. For example, videocodestream V₁ can be generated from plurality or sequence of AOIs atlocation 1 within the plurality of large format images, codestream V₂can be generated from plurality or sequence of AOIs at location 2 withinthe large format images, etc. In addition, each video codestream V₁, V₂,V₃, . . . V_(N) can be generated starting at the same time (i.e., at thesame large format image) or at different times (i.e., at different largeformat images). For example, video codestream V₁ can be generatedstarting by AOI₁ in LFI₁ while video codestream V₂ can be generatedstarting by AOI₂ in LFI₂. Similarly, each video codestream V₁, V₂, V₃, .. . V_(N) can be ended at the same time or at different time.

FIG. 6 is a time diagram of a process for providing a video codestream,according to an embodiment of the present invention. In one embodiment,the process can be implemented, for example, as a web service. In oneembodiment, a user associated with a client computer 10 sends a request12 to a server 14 for wide area motion imagery (WAMI) areas of interest(AOIs). In one embodiment, one or more clients C_(i) (1≦i≦N) may sendthe request to server 14. The request 12 may contain parametersindicating a specific collection of large format images (LFIs) fromwhere the WAMI AOIs will be extracted and a start time T₁ and end timeT₂. Upon receiving the request 12, the server 14 initiates a videocodestream and transmits the WAMI AOIs video codestream at 16 to amultiplexer 18. In one embodiment, multiplexer 18 is provided ashardware or software application within server 14, as depicted in FIG.6. However, as it can be appreciated, in another embodiment, themultiplexer 18 can also be provided as hardware or software applicationoutside the server 14. The server 14 performs this operation formultiple WAMI AOI video codestreams. The multiplexer 18 multiplexes theplurality or multiple video codestreams and transmits at 19 the multiplevideo codestreams as a multiplexed video codestream to demultiplexer 20.In one embodiment, the multiplexed video codestream is continuous andthe format of all multiple video codestreams is the same. In oneembodiment, the multiplexer 18 is continuously multiplexing andtransmitting the multiple video codestreams including the one requestedby C_(i), as a multiplexed video codestream. The demultiplexer 20demultiplexes at 21 the multiplexed or combined video codestream intothe original plurality of video codestreams. In one embodiment, thedemultiplexer 20 is provided as hardware or software application outsidethe client C_(i) 10, as depicted in FIG. 6. In one embodiment, thedemultiplexer 20 is in communication with the client C_(i) 10. In oneembodiment, the client C_(i) 10 receives the i^(th) video codestream andconsumes the video codestream. Each client C_(i) 10 consumes itsrequested video codestream. In one embodiment, if a client C_(i) 10decides to alter a spatial and/or temporal parameter(s) of the AOIs,i.e., change a position of the requested AOIs or a start time T₁ forextracting the AOIs from the LFIs, the client 10 sends a change of therequest of WAMI AOI 22 to the server 14. The server 14 then processesthe change of the request 22 by moving to a new AOI in the collection ofLFIs, the new AOI satisfying the altered spatial and/or temporalparameter(s). In one embodiment, the server 14 while processing thealtered request 22 and updating the AOIs may meanwhile continue sendingor transmitting at 24 the WAMI AOIs to the multiplexer 18 as an i^(th)video codestream. In one embodiment, the server continuously updates theAOIs. In one embodiment, the multiplexer 18 continues multiplexing thevideo codestreams and transmitting at 26 the video codestreams asmultiplexed video codestream. In one embodiment, a frame rate at whichthe i^(th) video codestream is sent need not be the same as a frame rateat which the AOIs are updated within the i^(th) video codestream. In oneembodiment, metadata regarding the AOIs may be embedded within thei^(th) video codestream. For example, metadata can be embedded in avideo codestream as audio, close captioned information, or key lengthvalue (KLV) fields. The multiplexed video codestream is sent todemultiplexer 20 and is demultiplexed at 28 into video codestream forclient consumption. As a result, the client 10 is able to receive asequence of images or video from a different location in the collectionof LFIs as requested by the client 10.

FIG. 7 is a flow diagram of a method to multiplex multiple videocodestreams into a multiplexed codestream, according to an embodiment ofthe present invention. For example, video codestream V₁ may be capturedat a rate of Hv₁ Hz, at 30, V₂ may be captured at a rate of Hv₂ Hz, at32, V₃ may be captured at a rate of Hv₃ Hz, at 34, . . . and V_(N) maybe captured at Hv_(n) Hz, at 36. The capture rates Hv₁, Hv₂, Hv₃, etc.can be equal or different. The video codestreams V₁, V₂, . . . , V_(N)are multiplexed in a multiplexed video codestream at a first location(e.g., sender location), at 38. The individual video codestreams areencoded into a bit rate of the multiplexed video codestream. Therefore,the bit rate of the original video codestreams V₁, V₂, . . . , V_(N) mayhave to be modified. For example, the bit rate of the original videocodestreams may be reduced or dialed down so as to fit into the bit rateof the multiplexed video codestream.

For example, if there are five original video codestreams V₁, V₂, . . ., V₅ and each video codestream is at a bit rate of 5 Mbps, 25 Mbps maybe needed to transmit all five video codestreams V₁, V₂, . . . , V₅ as amultiplexed video codestream. However, if only 10 Mbps of bandwidth isavailable for transmitting the multiplexed video codestream, the bitrate of the original video codestreams may need to be modified to “fit”into the 10 Mbps limited bandwidth. If, for example, two of the fiveoriginal video codestreams are very important to the user and thus areset to have the best possible quality as requested by the user while thethree remaining video codestreams are considered by the user to be ofless importance and thus may have a lower quality, the 10 Mbps bandwidthcan be divided into 4 Mbps for the two important video codestreams andthe less important video codestream can be set to a lower bit rate of700 Kbps, 650 Kbps and 650 Kbps. Therefore, while feeding the five videocodestreams, the bit rate of each video codestream can be dynamicallymodified. As a result, the bit rate of each original video codestreamcan be controlled as desired such that the sum of all bit rates of eachof the original video codestream is substantially equal to an allowedbit rate of bandwidth for the multiplexed video codestream.

The multiplexed video codestream can then be transmitted at 40. In oneembodiment, the multiplexed video codestream can be transmitted via link41, such as via cable broadcast channels, fiber optics channels, orwireless channels. At a second location (e.g., receiver location), themultiplexed video codestream is received, at 42. The multiplexed videocodestream can then be demultiplexed, at 44, to regenerate the originalcodestreams V₁ at frame rate Hv₁, at 46, V₂ at frame rate Hv₂, at 48, V₃at frame rate Hv₃, at 50 . . . , and V_(N) at frame rate Hv_(n), at 52.The video codestreams V₁, V₂, V₃, . . . , V_(N) can then be played backas wide-area surveillance AOI videos on one or more displays. In oneembodiment, V₁, V₂, V₃, . . . V_(N) can be played on a plurality ofdisplays D₁, D₂, D₃, . . . D_(N), where V₁ is played on D₁, V₂ is playedon D₂, V₃ is played on D₃, . . . and V_(N) is played on D_(N). Inanother embodiment, V₁, V₂, V₃, . . . V_(N) can be played on a number ofdisplays smaller than the number of video codestreams. In which case,one or more video codestreams, for example V₁ and V₂, can be played on asame display.

For example, by using the present multiplexing scheme to send aplurality of video codestreams and then demultiplexing to reconstructthe original video codestreams, available links or broadcast channelssuch as cable, optical fiber, wireless, etc. can be used fortransmission of the multiplexed video codestream without requiringadditional infrastructure.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a process for generating and transmitting amultiplexed video codestream, according to an embodiment of the presentinvention. Upon receiving a request (e.g., a HTTP request) from a client82, the multiplexed video codestream 84 is generated from a sequence orvideo of areas of interest AOIs from one WAMI dataset 86 multiplexedusing multiplexer 87 with other sequences or videos from other areas ofinterest AOIs from other WAMI datasets. The multiplexed video codestream84 is transmitted to demultiplexer 88. The demultiplexer 88 receives themultiplexed video codestream 84 and demultiplexes the multiplexed videocodestream 84 into the original video codestreams so that each videocodestream can be exploited by the client that requested the videocodestream. For example, one or more video codestreams (e.g., V₁, V₂ andV₃) may be sent to a client 82 that requested these video codestreamswhile other video codestreams (e.g., V₄, V₅, etc. . . . ) may be sent torespective clients that requested the video codestreams. The content andformat of each video codestream through a link 90 between the consumerof the video or user and a producer or server of the video 92 can becontrolled.

In one embodiment, the server 92 of each video codestream is able tochange the AOI 94, and/or the rate at which the AOI 94 is updated intothe video codestream. For example, if the client 82 has “move left,right, up or down” buttons and “zoom in, zoom out” buttons, thesebuttons can be used to modify the AOI 94 that gets displayed in thevideo codestream. Other buttons may also be provided to the user orclient to “flip the AOIs faster or slower” in the video. Thisinformation is conveyed back to the server 92 by the client as one ormore parameters within a request 80. Each client requesting one or morevideo codestreams is able to change its specified AOI 94 and/or the rateat which the specified AOI 94 is updated into the one or more videocodestreams that each client requested. Hence, each client is able tocontrol independently from other clients its requested video codestream.The server or servers 92 can execute the request of each client C_(i).

By controlling the AOIs, the client 82 controls the final bit rate ofthe resulting video codestream. For example, for one of several WAMI AOIvideo codestreams being multiplexed by multiplexer 87, if the sourceWAMI is being updated at the rate of 2 frames per second in a 30 FPSvideo code stream, the image update is about only twice a second. As aresult, 15 frames of the video codestream are copies of one frame (oneframe extracted from the two frames per second WAMI). Hence, a lower bitrate can be used while still obtaining a decent video quality since someframes are copies of one or two images. However, if the client requestsfor the AOIs to be updated faster, for example at 15 frames per secondin a 30 fps video, each frame in the video codestream can only duplicatea frame AOI in the WAMI once. As a result, the bit rate of the outputvideo codestream may have to be increased to counterbalance the fasterupdate rate so as not to deteriorate the image video codestream qualityand obtain a good image data for display.

In the 2 fps WAMI to 30 fps video codestream case, a frame in the 2frames per second is repeated fifteen times. That is frame 1 is repeatedfifteen times and frame 2 is also repeated fifteen times. For example,when the 30 fps video codestream is compressed, due to this relativelyhigh redundancy of fifteen copies of a same frame, the frames of theobtained 30 fps video codestream compress well. Therefore, even if onlya lower output bit rate is available, a lot of information can betransmitted in that lower bit rate. On the other hand, in the 15 fpsWAMI to 30 fps video codestream case, one frame is only repeated twiceframe. Hence, a temporal compression to a lower bit rate may degrade thequality of the video codestream. Hence a user may not be able to achieveas good a temporal compression as in the 2 fps to 30 fps case. In orderto make the 30 fps video codestream obtained from the 15 fps WAMI appearas good as the 30 fps video codestream obtained from the 2 fps WAMI, thebit rate of the encoded video codestream may have to be increased.

In one embodiment, the video codestreams can be multiplexed using theISO/IEC 13818-1 standard for multiplexing MPEG-2 transport videocodestreams, as shown at 96. For example, a video codestream can beencoded as an MPEG2 transport stream (MPEG2 TS), as shown at 97. Thevideo MPEG2 TS comprises a program. A description of the program can befound in the ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard. In one embodiment, the programincludes the video codestream of AOIs from WAMI frames, encoded usingthe H.264 codec or MPEG2 codec, key length value or KLV metadataassociated with each WAMI frame, audio codestream, close captioned data,or timing information as required by standard MPEG2 TS, or anycombination of two or more thereof. In one embodiment a plurality ofvideo codestreams that are MPEG2 TS with one program can be multiplexed,as shown at 98. Each video codestream program can be interleaved withprograms from other MPEG2 TS video codestreams to generate a multiplexedMPEG2 TS in accordance with, for example, ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard. Thedemultiplexing process may also be implemented in accordance with ademultiplexing procedure using ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard.

With respect to timing information, each WAMI frame is provided with atime of acquisition. The time of acquisition can be stored as part ofKLV metadata for each V_(i) as shown in FIG. 8. Furthermore, as shown inFIG. 7, each WAMI AOI video stream V_(i) is encoded at a known framerate and bit rate. Therefore, after demultiplexing, the video codestreamcan be played back at the encoded playback rate. The video codestreamcan also be played back at any other playback rate that the clientdesires.

Although in the above description certain types of formats such as MPEG2format, protocols or standards such as ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard arereferred to in the description of some embodiments of the invention, asit can be appreciated the present invention is not in anyway limited tothese formats, procedures, or protocols but can encompass other types offormats, procedures or protocols.

Although the various steps of the method(s) are described in the aboveparagraphs as occurring in a certain order, the present application isnot bound by the order in which the various steps occur. In fact, inalternative embodiments, the various steps can be executed in an orderdifferent from the order described above.

Although the invention has been described in detail for the purpose ofillustration based on what is currently considered to be the mostpractical and preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that suchdetail is solely for that purpose and that the invention is not limitedto the disclosed embodiments, but, on the contrary, is intended to covermodifications and equivalent arrangements that are within the spirit andscope of the appended claims. For example, it is to be understood thatthe present invention contemplates that, to the extent possible, one ormore features of any embodiment can be combined with one or morefeatures of any other embodiment.

Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occurto those of skill in the art, it is not desired to limit the inventionto the exact construction and operation described herein. Accordingly,all suitable modifications and equivalents should be considered asfalling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed:
 1. A method of encoding and decoding a plurality ofwide-area surveillance area-of-interest video codestreams, the methodcomprises: generating, by a computer server, a plurality of videocodestreams from a same plurality of large format images that arecaptured sequentially in time, each of the plurality of large formatimages is at least 10,000 pixels wide by 9,600 pixels tall, each videocodestream comprising a plurality of areas-of-interest from the sameplurality of large format images, each area-of-interest in the pluralityof areas-of-interest of each video codestream being selected from adifferent image in the plurality of large format images, each videocodestream being generated at a selected frame rate, and a plurality ofareas-of-interest of a first video codestream in the plurality of videocodestreams are located at a first location in the respective pluralityof large format images and a plurality of areas-of-interest of a secondvideo codestream in the plurality of video codestreams are located at asecond location different from the first location in the respectiveplurality of large format images; combining, by a multiplexer incommunication with the computer server, the plurality of videocodestreams into a combined video codestream, the combined videocodestream having a frame rate that is substantially equal to a sum offrame rates of the plurality of video codestreams; controlling the framerate of each video codestream such that the frame rate of the combinedvideo codestream is substantially equal to an allowed rate of bandwidthof a transmission link; transmitting the combined video codestream froma first location to a second remote location via the transmission link;and demultiplexing the combined video codestream at the second locationto regenerate the plurality of video codestreams.
 2. The methodaccording to claim 1, further comprising extracting, by the computerserver, the plurality of areas-of-interest from the plurality of largeformat images.
 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein theextracting comprises extracting, by the computer server, anarea-of-interest in the plurality of areas-of-interest from an image inthe plurality of large format images.
 4. The method according to claim1, further comprising receiving a request for a video codestream in theplurality of video codestream from the client computer.
 5. The methodaccording to claim 4, wherein receiving the request comprises receivinga request including parameters for generating the video codestream fromthe client computer.
 6. The method according to claim 5, furthercomprising controlling, by the computer server, a position of theplurality of areas-of-interest within corresponding plurality of largeformat images, or a start time for extracting the plurality ofareas-of-interest from plurality of large format images, or both inaccordance with the parameters.
 7. The method according to claim 1,wherein the generating comprises generating each video codestreamstarting at a first time and ending at a second time.
 8. The methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the generating comprises generating eachof the plurality of video codestreams at the selected frame rate that isdifferent from a frame rate of capture of the plurality of large formatimages.
 9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generating ofthe plurality of video codestreams comprises generating a first videocodestream at a first location within the plurality of large formatimages, and generating a second video codestream at a second locationwithin the plurality of large format images different from the firstlocation.
 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the generatingcomprises generating each video codestream starting at a same image inthe plurality of large format images.
 11. The method according to claim1, wherein the generating comprises generating a first video codestreamat a first frame rate and generating a second video codestream at asecond frame rate.
 12. The method according to claim 11, wherein thecombining comprises multiplexing the first video codestream and thesecond video codestream into the combined video codestream.
 13. Themethod according to claim 12, wherein the controlling comprisescontrolling the first frame rate and the second frame rate so that a sumof the first frame rate and the second frame rate is substantially equalto an allowed rate of bandwidth of the transmission link fortransmitting the combined video codestream.
 14. The method according toclaim 1, wherein the transmitting of the combined video codestreamcomprises transmitting the combined video codestream via a cablechannel, a fiber optics channel, or a wireless channel or anycombination of two or more thereof.
 15. The method according to claim 1,further comprising regenerating the plurality of video codestreams. 16.The method according to claim 15, sending one or more video codestreamsfrom the regenerated plurality of codestreams to a user as requested bythe user.
 17. The method according to claim 1, further comprisingplaying back the regenerated plurality of video codestreams on aplurality of display devices.
 18. The method according to claim 17,wherein the playing back comprises playing back each video codestream ona separate display device.
 19. The method according to claim 17, whereinthe playing back comprises playing back two or more video codestreams ona same display device.
 20. The method according to claim 1, wherein eachof the plurality of areas-of-interest has a size substantially equal toa size of a display device.
 21. The method according to claim 1, whereinthe combining comprises combining using ISO/IEC 13818-1 standard. 22.The method according to claim 1, wherein each video codestream comprisesthe plurality of areas-of-interest of the plurality of large formatimages, and key length value associated with each image in the pluralityof large format images, close captioned data, timing information, oraudio codestream, or any combination of two or more thereof.
 23. Amethod of encoding and decoding a plurality of wide-area surveillancearea-of-interest video codestreams, the method comprises: generating, bya computer server, a first video codestream from a plurality of largeformat images that are captured sequentially in time, each of theplurality of large format images is at least 10,000 pixels wide by 9,600pixels tall, the first video codestream comprising a first plurality ofareas-of-interest selected from the plurality of large format images,each area-of-interest in the first plurality of areas-of-interest of thefirst video codestream being selected from a different image in theplurality of large format images, the first video codestream beinggenerated at a first frame rate, and the first plurality ofareas-of-interest of the first video codestream are located at a firstlocation in the respective plurality of large format images; generating,by the computer server, a second video codestream from the sameplurality of large format images from which the first video codestreamis generated, the second video codestream comprising a second pluralityof areas-of-interest selected from the plurality of large format images,each area-of-interest in the second plurality of areas-of-interest ofthe second video codestream being selected from a different image in theplurality of large format images, the second video codestream beinggenerated at a second frame rate, and the second plurality ofareas-of-interest of the second video codestream are located at a secondlocation different from the first location in the respective pluralityof large format images; combining, by a multiplexer in communicationwith the computer server, the first video codestream and the secondvideo codestream into a combined video codestream, the combined videocodestream having a third frame rate substantially equal to a sum of thefirst frame rate and the second frame rate; controlling the first framerate or the second frame rate, or both such that the third frame rate issubstantially equal to an allowed rate of bandwidth of a transmissionlink; transmitting the combined video codestream from a first locationto a second remote location via the transmission link; anddemultiplexing, by a demultiplexer, the combined video codestream at thesecond location to regenerate the first video codestream and the secondvideo codestream.